In the first-ever episode of the iconic, long-running television series Little House on the Prairie, titled “A Harvest of Friends,” farmer Charles Ingalls and his family move to Walnut Grove, Minnesota.

Immediately, Charles gets busy, working several jobs, until he can bring in the harvest.

But then misfortune strikes, and Charles loses money and breaks his ribs in a fall. As things deteriorate from bad to worse, and it appears the Ingalls may lose their farm, the community of Walnut Grove steps in and helps the family through to the harvest. As the episode ends, Charles realizes the truth. Yes, he will keep the farm, and yes, his crops will grow and the family will make it, after all. But, more than anything, the real harvest is one of new friendships and community support.

I have said it before, and will say it again. When I began The Eye-Dancers site late last summer, I had no idea what I was getting into–I had never blogged before. All I knew at the time was that I wanted to create a website to help get the word out regarding my new young adult sci-fi/fantasy novel, The Eye-Dancers. Beyond that, I didn’t know what to expect, and didn’t know what the response would be.

Like Charles Ingalls when he moved to Walnut Grove, I have quickly discovered what a great community I have joined. A harvest of friends, indeed. Today The Eye-Dancers has reached the 1,000-follower milestone, and so it’s a perfect time to say thank you to each and every one of you.

I am honored that The Eye-Dancers has been nominated for more blogging awards–The Most Influential Blogger Award, The Wonderful Team Member Readership Award, and The Interesting Blog Award!

But first, a shout-out to Kavita at Talking Experience for nominating The Eye-Dancers for the Tag You’re It! Award; the Ambitious Poet for nominating me for the Liebster Award; and Kristy at Family, Friends, and Everything in Between for the nomination for the Shine On Award! I was lucky enough to have received these awards previously, but I wanted to encourage everyone to visit these wonderful blogs!

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A hearty thank-you to Samina at Samina’s Forum for police support for nominating me for a Most Influential Blogger Award. It is a privilege being nominated for an award like this from someone who has such an influential blog herself. Thanks you, Samina!

The rules for the Most Influential Blogger Award are as follows . . .

Display the award logo on your blog.

Link back to the person who nominated you.

Answer seven questions.

Nominate (no limit on the number of nominations) [an aside–this is good, since, for this one award, I am not technically breaking the rules!] other bloggers for this award and link back to them.

Notify those bloggers of the nomination and the award requirements.

The seven questions are:

1. If you could create your own planet what would it look like?

A. It would look a lot like Earth. Our planet is full of natural wonders and variety. I think it would be difficult to create a more naturally beautiful planet.

2.If you could visit one nation you have never visited before. What nation would that be?

A. Scotland, probably. But it’s hard to choose just one!

3. Have you ever taken a long distance train trip?

A. I have! From Rochester, New York, to Denver, Colorado . . .

4. What is something you would collectively change about humanity?

A. I would encourage everyone to keep an open mind. Nothing is impossible. Many of the great inventors or thinkers were ridiculed in their day. Be open to possibilities, potentialities, and the unity of all things. Just because you don’t understand something doesn’t make it “wrong” or “foolish.”

5. What is your favorite song?

A. I don’t really have one that stands out, head and shoulders, above the rest. It’s hard to choose just one! I have always loved the song “Edelweiss,” from The Sound of Music. And I enjoy some of the classic ’50s songs–“Only You (And You Alone)” by The Platters, for example.

6. If you could meet one person who is still alive who would you choose to meet?

A. The person around the next corner. I wouldn’t know who they are until I meet them . . .

7. If you could choose one symbol to represent you, what would that symbol be? Why?

A. Probably an image of the universe–something vast, infinite, mysterious. I always want to keep searching for the unknowable, and reaching for the stars . . .

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Thank you very much to Joseyphina at Joseyphina’s World, Lisa at She’s Losing It!, and Katie at the D/A Dialogues for nominating The Eye-Dancers for the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award! You all have great blogs, and I very much appreciate the nomination!

The rules for this award are (and I will break them!):

The Nominee of the Wonderful Team member Readership Award shall display the logo on his/her blog.

The Nominee shall nominate 14 readers they appreciate over a period of 7 days, all at once or little by little.

The Nominee shall name his/her Wonderful Team Member Readership Award nominees on a post or on posts during 7 days.

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And another thank-you is in order to Katie at the D/A Dialogues for nominating me for an Interesting Blog Award! If you haven’t checked out Katie’s site, please pull up a virtual chair and do. It is a delightful, fun, and very engaging place to spend some time!

The rules (meant to be broken??) for the Interesting Blog Award are as follows:

Thank person who nominated you.

List 5 random facts about yourself.

Nominate 5 other blogs.

Answer the 5 questions the blogger awarding you The Most Interesting Blog Award asked you.

Ask 5 questions of your own to nominees.

Here are 5 random things about myself:

1. When I was a kid, I never had to move. In fact, even to this day, my parents still live in the same house where I grew up. That’s a rare and special thing these days, and it makes “going home,” when I visit Rochester, NY, that much better.

2. One of my favorite all-time shows is Jeopardy!. I remember, growing up, I would watch it with my parents, and we’d try to guess the answers to the questions. Or, seeing that it isJeopardy, the questions to the answers! Like any true geek, I used to keep a personal scorecard, tallying up how many questions I got right, each show, every week . . .

3. I have never Skyped!

4. I am an introvert by nature, very much an observer. I’m fascinated watching people–at parties, out on the street, at work, in stores . . . And I have always loved to listen to conversations–the manner in which people talk, their accents, their pet expressions. It never gets old.

5. I do not like heights! I wouldn’t say I’m terrified of them, but I avoid high places if I can. You will not find me up on the roof!

The five questions for me to answer (from Katie):

What is your favorite moment in history?

Any time a decided underdog has stood up to, and bested, the favorite.

If you could eat one food item for the rest of your days, what would it be?

Easy. French fries and ketchup!

What is your fondest childhood memory?

Honestly, I can’t choose just one. I was lucky. I had a wonderful childhood, all in all, and I am always grateful for that.

If a madman in a box whisked you away and said you could go anywhere and anytime in the universe, what would you choose?

If training, ability, and money were not an issue, what would you like to be when you grow up?

A best-selling novelist, of course!

My questions for the nominees of this award are:

1. Seinfeld or Cheers?

2. Country music or heavy metal?

3. You have a chocolate muffin and a piece of cherry pie before you, but you can choose only one. Which do you choose?

4. What city, anywhere in the world, would you like to visit and why?

5. There is a zombie movie on one channel and a James Bond movie on the other. Which do you watch?

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Rule-breaking time! I would like to nominate all of my followers for the above awards. If you want to accept all of them, please do! I hope you do! Or perhaps you’d only choose to accept one or two of the awards. Or none. It doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that you know how much I appreciate your comments, feedback, and support. You are the ones who make blogging fun and worthwhile.

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Well, I for one, am honoured to a part of those 1,000 (lol probably more now) followers. Your generosity in sharing your blog awards is universally appreciated (yes, bloggers in the furthest corners of the Universe read your blog since the boys’ adventure) 😉

Congratulations Mike on those wonderful awards.. and oh i just loved watching Little house on the Prairie , .. that takes me back a fare few years! 🙂
I have something in common,, I have never skyped either! 🙂

congratulations on the 1,000 followers! it’s well deserved. i loved your answers about meeting the person around the next corner… that’s awesome. you really never know who you’ll meet. i also loved the answer about the universe being your symbol. that’s another good one. im originally from denver so that’s pretty cool you took a train trip to denver. i love travel by train personally. can see a lot that you wouldn’t normally when driving or flying. congratulations on all the awards. all deserved. 🙂

Thank you! And thanks for your great comments–I always enjoy reading your comments! And I agree about train travel–you really “feel” the journey when you take a train, and you get to see the landscape. Trains are also good places in which to set stories.:)

Congrats for both the fabulous awards (it’s always great to read your answers !) and your number of followers ! Thanks for this “Little House on the Prairie”-memory post (it was my fave TV series when I was a kid !).

so cool Mike. We have bucketloads in common–from Little House recollections, to ketchup and fries, to Jeopardy! I would add mayo, Alex for 100 to the fry combo, though–the European in me–and mention Mom actually went on Jeopardy and won 12K. 🙂

I read aaAALLL the Little House books and was just mentioning them the other day. I must confess, after a brief refresher course in Edelweiss, I still don’t get it, but it brought back fond Alpine memories. 🙂

Wow! I am very impressed with the Jeopardy anecdote! I always wanted to be a contestant on Jeopardy! Haven’t been yet–but maybe at some point . . .:) And you know, I never tried mayo on fries! Sounds good! Something to try later.:) Always a pleasure hearing from you, Karen!

A late congrats on three more award nominations Mike…
you write such a great blog + a great book!
Totally loved your plug for community via Charles + Little House on the Prarie…
seeing Michael Landon in his famous ‘Pa pose’ was so heart-warming…
and as usual, I’ve learned another something from that man and you too 😉

I liked the way you answered your questions, like the way you included all of us in your harvest of friends! I also like the reference to the t.v. series. I have always loved the books and thought they did a pretty good job with the characters. Take care!